Title
Approval of Additional Community Planning and Development Permit Specialist Position
Recommended Action
Land Use and Environment Committee Recommendation:
On November 19, 2015, Land Use and Environment Committee received a status report and briefing on Community Planning and Development department staffing. The committee agreed that an additional permit specialist was needed to support the permit process.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the addition of a permit specialist position and direct staff to prepare an appropriation ordinance for Council to consider at a future meeting, to fund the position through development fee revenue.
Report
Issue:
Whether or not to approve one additional permit specialist position to meet development demands.
Staff Contact:
Karen Kenneson, Business Manager, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8277
Presenter:
None. Consent calendar item.
Background and Analysis:
During the economic downturn there was a significant decline in new construction and the corresponding revenue. Since 2008, Community Planning and Development (CP&D) has cut 12.75 positions 10 of which were directly related to permitting and inspection. Development activity has been on the rise for the past three years and the Department is struggling to meet customer demand due to lack of adequate staffing. Commercial permit are already well above those of the previous three years. The Department is also on pace to conduct more than 13,000 inspections.
In 2007, Community Planning and Development issued 1,500 permits, per Permit Specialist FTE. In 2014, CP&D issued 2,459 permits per Permit Specialist (see Attachment 1 for chart). That is a 64 percent increase in permit issuing workloads. There is also a considerable amount of additional workload involved with responding to customer requests and questions that may not result in a permit being issued.
The increase in construction translates to increased revenue ...
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